LAS VEGAS - Scott Verplank, Tim Herron and Scott McCarron shot 62 at the Las Vegas Invitational on Thursday, but there weren't many fans around to see some impressive golf.
Unlike the scenes at Augusta in April, the U.S. Open in June and most of the other PGA Tour stops, this is a tough draw - for players and fans.
"There were at least two or three people out there watching me," said Verplank, whose round at the par-72 TPC at Summerlin put him in a tie for the second-round lead with Steve Flesch at 17-under 126.
Flesch followed his first-round 62 with 64 Thursday at the par-71 TPC at the Canyons. He had two bogeys, but kept a share of the lead with 30 on the back nine.
Charles Howell had 65 and was at 128. Herron, Craig Barlow (67) and Steve Lowery (64) were at 129 heading into today's third round of the 90-hole event, which is without most of the big names in the game - and lots of fans.
"You're making birdies and the only ones clapping are your pro-am partners," McCarron said.
Still, there's much at stake in the $4-million tournament.
Verplank, who had five top-10 finishes early in the season, is 33rd on the money list, three spots from qualifying for the season-ending Tour Championship.
Herron has made more than $2-million this season but is still chasing his first win in 2003.
Phil Mickelson, without a top-10 finish since the Masters, shot 7-under 64 at the TPC at the Canyons and was 12 under.
ANNIKA GETS RAINED OUT: Annika Sorenstam at least got her birthday cake.
The other half of Thursday's celebration - finally getting into the World Golf Hall of Fame - had to wait another day when the first round of the Samsung World Championship was washed out by heavy rains at the Woodlands, Texas.
"I guess the sun is supposed to shine when I get in," Sorenstam said, laughing. "Maybe tomorrow."
All she needed to do to get into the Hall - on her birthday, no less - was play 18 holes. That will officially mark her 10th year on tour, a final criterion for entry.
Meantime, the Woodlands girls golf team presented Sorenstam with a food basket, flowers, card, handmade poster and a cake that could have fed the field.
KOREAN OPEN: Competing against men on the Asian PGA Tour, Laura Davies made one birdie and put two shots in the water en route to 6-over 78, tying for 87th place after the first round at Cheonan.
"I putted very well, and I drove it okay. But I hit two drivers into the water, which was a shame," Davies said.
"She hung in there, and I hope both of us score better tomorrow," said John Daly, who shot 73 playing with Davies and South Korea's S.K. Ho (75).
Ted Oh of South Korea, who has two wins on the Korean circuit this year, fired 5-under 67 to take the overnight lead. Fourteen players were unable to finish the opening round because of fading light.
DUTCH OPEN: Gary Murphy, Jamie Donaldson and Alastair Forsyth carded 6-under 64s to share the first-round lead in rainy Hilversum, Netherlands.
